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King James Bible - Romans 15:20

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SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:20

Y de esta manera me prediqu� este Evangelio, no donde antes el Cristo fuese nombrado, por no edificar sobre fundamento ajeno;

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Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 15:20

Verse 20. So have I strived to preach the Gospel] outw de filotimoumenon? For I have considered it my honour to preach the Gospel where that Gospel was before unknown. This is the proper import of the word filotimeisqai; from filov, a friend, and timh, honour. As I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, so I esteem it an honour to preach it, and especially to proclaim it among the heathen; not building on another man's foundation-not watering what another apostle had planted; but cheerfully exposing myself to all kinds of dangers and hardships, in order to found new Churches.

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John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 20. Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel , etc..] The sense is, not barely that he strove to preach the Gospel and not the law, the pure Gospel, and, not a mixed one; nor only that he endeavoured to preach it fully, and leave out nothing; but that he had an holy ambition to preach it, not where Christ was named ; as in Judea, where he had been for many ages spoken of and expected, and where he had lately appeared, lived, suffered, and died, and where his Gospel had been preached by all the apostles; as also in such parts of the Gentile world, where others of the apostles had been, and had made mention of his name, and published the glad tidings of salvation by him; but he chose rather to go to such Heathen nations, as were wholly without any knowledge of him; who had only the dim light of nature to guide them; had had no promises nor prophecies of the Messiah, nor so much as any hints, at least very distant ones, concerning him; and where as yet the sound of the Gospel bad not reached: lest I should build on another man's foundation ; meaning not the law of Moses, nor the doctrines of the false teachers, but the foundation of the true apostles, and which was no other than the foundation Christ, he himself laid; but he chose not to go where they had laid the foundation by preaching Christ and his Gospel, that he might not take another man's crown, or boast in another man's line, or of other men's labours; but rather to go where others had never been, that he might first lay the foundation himself, by preaching Christ, and him crucified, and so the more act up to his character as an apostle, and as the apostle to the Gentiles.

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Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 14-21 - The apostle was persuaded that the Roman Christians were filled with kind and affectionate spirit, as well as with knowledge. He had writte to remind them of their duties and their dangers, because God ha appointed him the minister of Christ to the Gentiles. Paul preached to them; but what made them sacrifices to God, was, their sanctification not his work, but the work of the Holy Ghost: unholy things can neve be pleasing to the holy God. The conversion of souls pertains unto God therefore it is the matter of Paul's glorying, not the things of the flesh. But though a great preacher, he could not make one sou obedient, further than the Spirit of God accompanied his labours. He principally sought the good of those that sat in darkness. Whateve good we do, it is Christ who does it by us.

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Greek Textus Receptus

ουτως 3779 ADV δε 1161 CONJ φιλοτιμουμενον 5389 5740 V-PNP-ASM ευαγγελιζεσθαι 2097 5733 V-PMN ουχ 3756 PRT-N οπου 3699 ADV ωνομασθη 3687 5681 V-API-3S χριστος 5547 N-NSM ινα 2443 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N επ 1909 PREP αλλοτριον 245 A-ASM θεμελιον 2310 N-ASM οικοδομω 3618 5725 V-PAS-1S

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Vincent's NT Word Studies

20. Have I strived (filotimoumenon). The verb means originally to be fond of honor, and hence, from a love of honor, to strive, be ambitious. Compare 2 Cor. v. 9; 1 Thess. iv. 11. The correct sense is to prosecute as a point of honor.

Foundation (qemelion). See on settle, 1 Pet. v. 10.

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Robertson's NT Word Studies

15:20 {Yea} (houtws de). "And so," introducing a limitation to the preceding statement. {Making it my aim} (filotimoumenon). Present middle participle (accusative case agreeing with me) of philotimeomai, old verb, to be fond of honor (filos, time). In N.T. only here and #1Th 4:11; 2Co 5:9. A noble word in itself, quite different in aim from the Latin word for {ambition} (ambio, to go on both sides to carry one's point). {Not where} (ouch hopou). Paul was a pioneer preacher pushing on to new fields after the manner of Daniel Boone in Kentucky. {That I might now build upon another man's foundation} (hina me ep' allotrion qemelion oikodom"). For allotrios (not allos) see #14:4. For qemelion, see #Lu 6:48f.; 1Co 3:11. this noble ambition of Paul's is not within the range of some ministers who can only build on another's foundation as Apollos did in Corinth. But the pioneer preacher and missionary has a dignity and glory all his own.